Game system and method for controlling game system, game server device therefor, and game device therefor

• US 7,806,768 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Masaru, Tamura, Ryuta, Kobayashi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan; James S
• Application Number:
  US11/667,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video

Abstract

A game server device (3) stores message information representing contents of a message sent by a player and a card ID identifying each of a plurality of players in association with each other. Each of plural game devices (1) reads from a card (2) a card ID for transmission to the game server device (3), receives individual information corresponding to the card ID for storage, and transmits the individual information to an opponent participant'"'"'s game device (1) so that the information is stored therein. Each game device (1), in a case in which an event is detected, displays a message represented by individual information that has been stored and requests an opponent participant'"'"'s game device (1) to display the message. Furthermore, each game device (1), in a case in which the display of a message is requested from an opponent participant'"'"'s game device (1), displays a message represented by individual information that has been stored.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

a game server device comprising;

a storage unit that stores message information representing contents of a message sent by each of a plurality of players in association with identification information identifying each of the plurality of players; and

a deliverer that, upon receiving a message request containing identification information and requesting that message information associated with the identification information be transmitted as a response, reads from the storage unit the message information, which can be its own information, that is associated with the identification information contained in the message request and that transmits a message response containing the message information, the message response being the response to the message request; and

at least two game devices, which, through communication directly with one another and not via the game server, enable the plurality of players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game with multiple players, said at least two game devices being associated with each other, each of said game devices comprising;

a personal information storage unit that stores information written for a player of each said game device among the plurality of players;

an opponent information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads the identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits, to said game server device, the message request containing the identification information read by said reader;

a personal information writer that, upon receiving the message response, writes, in said personal information storage unit, the message information contained in the message response;

a presharing unit that transmits the message information stored in said personal information storage unit directly to the opponent participant and not via the game server;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving directly from the opponent participant and not via the game server, message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into said opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by said detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in said personal information storage unit and performs a process of transmitting to the opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

a display request processor that, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit.

2. A game server device for use in a game system having a plurality of game devices, the game server device comprising:

a communicator that communicates with said plurality of game devices that are adapted to communicate with one another directly and not via the game server as participants of a game with multiple players, said plurality of game devices being associated with one another and enabling players to play a game with multiple players;

a storage unit that stores message information representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information for identifying each of the players in association with each other; and

a deliverer that, upon receiving a message request from a game device among said plurality of game devices, the message request containing identification information and requesting that message information be transmitted as a response, reads from the storage unit the message information that is associated with the identification information contained in the message request, which can be its own information, and that transmits a message response containing the message information, the message response being the response to the message request, to said game device,

wherein said game device;

reads the identification information from an information recording medium and transmits the message request,

upon receiving the message response from said game server device, writes the message information contained in the message response for storage in a personal information storage unit,

transmits directly and not via the game server the message information stored in the personal information storage unit to an opponent participant,

writes, upon receiving message information of the opponent participant directly and not via the game server from the opponent participant, the message information of the opponent participant for storage into an opponent information storage unit,

displays, upon detecting a predetermined event, a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit while transmitting to the opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed, and

displays, upon receiving from the opponent participant, a display request of the opponent participant, a message having contents represented by message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit.

3. A game system comprising:

a game server device, a plurality of game devices and a plurality of terminal devices,

wherein the game server device comprises;

(a) a storage unit that stores message information of a player and identification information unique to the player in association with each other;

(b) a first transmitter that transmits, upon receiving a message request from one of said plurality of game devices, message information to the one said plurality of game devices which, through communication with one another, enable players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game with multiple players, game devices used by the players in playing the game among said plurality of game devices being associated with one another as the participants of the game and the message information representing contents of a message of each of the players;

(c) a second transmitter that, upon receiving identification information from one of said terminal devices, transmits message information to the one of said terminal devices after reading from the storage unit message information corresponding to identification information specified by the one of said terminal devices that is operated by one of the players, and

(d) an updater that, upon receiving the update information transmitted from the one of said terminal devices, updates the message information stored in the storage unit with the update information; and

wherein each of said plurality of game devices has;

a personal information storage unit that stores information written for a player of the each game device among the plurality of game devices;

an opponent information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits, to the game server device, the message request containing the identification information read by said reader;

a personal information writer that, upon receiving the message response, writes, in the personal information storage unit, the message information contained in the message response;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving from the opponent participant, message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into said opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by said detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in said personal information storage unit and performs a process of transmitting to the opponent participant display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

,

a display request processor that, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in said opponent information storage unit; and

wherein each of said terminal devices has an input device operated by each of the players who uses each of said terminal devices, a display device, and a processor for causing an edit screen for editing the message information transmitted by the second transmitter of the game server device, and

wherein the processor transmits the identification information unique to the one of the players to the game server device, receives the message information of the one of the players from the game server device, and displays the edit screen of the message information, thereby prompting the one of the players to edit the message information by operating the input device, and replies to the game server device with an edit result as update information.

13. The game server device of claim 3, wherein the message information representing the contents of the message of each of the players is stored in each of said plurality of game devices prior to said predetermined event taking place.

4. A game device for use in a game system having a game server device, the game device comprising:

a first communicator that communicates with other game devices, so that players are enabled to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game for multiple players, the game devices being associated with one another and operative to communicate directly and not via the game server;

a second communicator that communicates with said game server device that stores message information, which can be a game devices own information, representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information that identifies each of the players, with the message information and the identification information being stored in association with each other, and transmits, upon receiving a message request containing the identification information, with the message request requesting that the message information corresponding to the identification information be transmitted as a response, a message response containing the message information corresponding to the identification information contained in the message request, the message response being the response to the message request;

a personal information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to a player of said game device;

an opponent information storage area that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads the identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits the message request containing the identification information read by the reader to the game server device;

a personal information writer that, upon receiving the message response, writes in the personal information storage unit the message information in the message response;

a presharing unit that transmits the message information stored in the personal information storage unit directly and not via the game server to the opponent participant;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving from the opponent participant directly and not via the game server message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into the opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by the detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit and a process of transmitting to an opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

a display request processor that, upon receiving from an opponent participant the display request, displays a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the opponent information storage unit.

5. A game device according to claim 4,

wherein there is a plurality of predetermined events,

wherein the message information contains, for each of a plurality of the players, a pair of identifiers identifying each of the events and a message data unit representing contents of a message;

wherein said event processor, in a case in which one of the events is detected by the detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message data unit that is in a pair with the identifier corresponding to the detected event and performs a process of transmitting to the opponent participant a display request containing the identifier and requesting that the message be displayed; and

wherein said display request processor, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by a message data unit of the opponent participant that is stored in association with the opponent participant in the opponent information storage unit and is in a pair with the identifier contained in the display request.

6. A game device according to claim 4, further comprising an inputter that is operated by a player and that receives an instruction input of the player,

wherein the predetermined event is a receipt of a predetermined instruction at the inputter.

7. A game device according to claim 4,

wherein said presharing unit transmits, to an opponent participant, message information stored in the personal information storage unit and a communication address of the game device;

wherein said opponent information writer receives, from the opponent participant, message information and a communication address of the opponent participant and writes the message information and the communication address in the opponent information storage unit; and

wherein said display request processor, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by the message information stored, in the opponent information storage unit, in association with a communication address of a sender of the display request.

10. A game device according to claim 5, further comprising an

inputter that is operated by a player and that receives an instruction input of the player,

wherein the predetermined event is a receipt of a predetermined instruction at the inputter.

8. A method of controlling a game system having a game server device and a plurality of game devices which, through communication with one another, enable players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game for multiple players, the plurality of game devices being associated with one another, said method comprising:

storing, at said game server device, message information representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information identifying each player in association with each other;

reading, at a game device among said plurality of game devices, the identification information from an information recording medium carried by the player and transmitting from the game device a message request containing the identification information and requesting that the message information corresponding to the identification information be transmitted as a response;

receiving at said game server device the message request and transmitting a message response containing the message information corresponding to the identification information contained in the message request, the message response being the response to the message request;

performing at said game device a process of receiving the message response and writing in a personal information storage unit the message information, which can be its own information, contained in the message response for storage and performing a process of transmitting the message information stored in the personal information storage unit to an opponent participant, while performing a process of receiving, from the opponent participant, message information of the opponent participant and writing the message information of the opponent participant in an opponent information storage unit for storage; and

performing at said game device a process of detecting a predetermined event and displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit and performing a process of transmitting to an opponent participant directly and not via the game server a display request requesting that the message be displayed, while performing a process of, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant directly and not via the game server, displaying a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit.

9. A method of controlling a game system according to claim 8,

wherein, before a play of a game with the opponent participant is started, when the game device writes the message information contained in the message response into the personal information storage unit and when the game device writes in the opponent information storage unit the message information of the opponent participant in association with a communication address of the opponent participant;

and

wherein the detector detects the event during a play of the game with the opponent participant.

11. A game system, comprising:

a game server device comprising;

a storage unit that stores message information representing contents of a message sent by each of a plurality of players in association with identification information identifying each of the plurality of players; and

a deliverer that, upon receiving a message request containing identification information and requesting that message information associated with the identification information be transmitted as a response, reads from the storage unit the message information that is associated with the identification information contained in the message request and that transmits a message response containing the message information, the message response being the response to the message request; and

at least two game devices, which, through communication with one another, enable the plurality of players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game with multiple players, said at least two game devices being associated with each other, each of said game devices comprising;

a personal information storage unit that stores information written for a player of each said game device among the plurality of players;

an opponent information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads the identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits, to said game server device, the message request containing the identification information read by said reader;

a personal information writer that, upon receiving the message response, writes, in said personal information storage unit, the message information contained in the message response;

a presharing unit that transmits the message information stored in said personal information storage unit to the opponent participant;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving from the opponent participant, message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into said opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by said detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in said personal information storage unit and performs a process of transmitting to the opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

a display request processor that, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit,

wherein the message information of the opponent participant is stored in said opponent information storage unit prior to said detector detecting the predetermined event.

12. A game server device for use in a game system having a plurality of game devices, the game server device comprising:

a communicator that communicates with said plurality of game devices that communicate with one another as participants of a game with multiple players, said plurality of game devices being associated with one another and enabling players to play a game with multiple players;

a storage unit that stores message information representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information for identifying each of the players in association with each other; and

a deliverer that, upon receiving a message request from a game device among said plurality of game devices, the message request containing identification information and requesting that message information be transmitted as a response, reads from the storage unit the message information that is associated with the identification information contained in the message request and that transmits a message response containing the message information, the message response being the response to the message request, to said game device,

wherein said game device;

reads the identification information from an information recording medium and transmits the message request,

upon receiving the message response from said game server device, writes the message information contained in the message response for storage in a personal information storage unit,

transmits the message information stored in the personal information storage unit to an opponent participant,

writes, upon receiving message information of the opponent participant from the opponent participant, the message information of the opponent participant for storage into an opponent information storage unit,

displays, upon detecting a predetermined event, a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit while transmitting to the opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed, and

displays, upon receiving from the opponent participant, a display request of the opponent participant, a message having contents represented by message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit,

wherein the message information of the opponent participant is stored in said opponent information storage unit prior to said predetermined event being detected.

14. A game device for use in a game system having a game server device, the game device comprising:

a first communicator that communicates with other game devices, so that players are enabled to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game for multiple players, the game devices being associated with one another;

a second communicator that communicates with said game server device that stores message information representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information that identifies each of the players, with the message information and the identification information being stored in association with each other, and transmits, upon receiving a message request containing the identification information, with the message request requesting that the message information corresponding to the identification information be transmitted as a response, a message response containing the message information corresponding to the identification information contained in the message request, the message response being the response to the message request;

a personal information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to a player of said game device;

an opponent information storage area that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads the identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits the message request containing the identification information read by the reader to the game server device;

a personal information writer that, upon receiving the message response, writes in the personal information storage unit the message information in the message response;

a presharing unit that transmits the message information stored in the personal information storage unit to the opponent participant;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving from the opponent participant message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into the opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by the detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit and a process of transmitting to an opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

a display request processor that, upon receiving from an opponent participant the display request, displays a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the opponent information storage unit,

wherein the message information of the opponent participant is stored in said opponent information storage unit prior to said detector detecting the predetermined event.

15. A method of controlling a game system having a game server device and a plurality of game devices which, through communication with one another, enable players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game for multiple players, the plurality of game devices being associated with one another, said method comprising:

storing, at said game server device, message information representing contents of a message sent by each of the players and identification information identifying each player in association with each other;

reading, at a game device among said plurality of game devices, the identification information from an information recording medium carried by the player and transmitting from the game device a message request containing the identification information and requesting that the message information corresponding to the identification information be transmitted as a response;

receiving at said game server device the message request and transmitting a message response containing the message information corresponding to the identification information contained in the message request, the message response being the response to the message request;

performing at said game device a process of receiving the message response and writing in a personal information storage unit the message information contained in the message response for storage and performing a process of transmitting the message information stored in the personal information storage unit to an opponent participant, while performing a process of receiving, from the opponent participant, message information of the opponent participant and writing the message information of the opponent participant in an opponent information storage unit for storage; and

performing at said game device a process of detecting a predetermined event and displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in the personal information storage unit and performing a process of transmitting to an opponent participant a display request requesting that the message be displayed, while performing a process of, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displaying a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in the opponent information storage unit,

wherein the message information of the opponent participant is stored in said opponent information storage unit of said game device prior to the detecting of the predetermined event.

16. A game server device for use in a game system having:

(1) a plurality of game devices, each of said plurality of game devices having;

a personal information storage unit that stores information written for a player of the each game device among the plurality of game devices;

an opponent information storage unit that stores information that has been written with respect to an opponent participant;

a reader that reads identification information from an information recording medium in which the identification information is recorded;

a delivery requester that transmits, to the game server device, the message request containing the identification information read by said reader;

an opponent information writer that, upon receiving from the opponent participant, message information of the opponent participant, writes the message information of the opponent participant into said opponent information storage unit;

a detector that detects a predetermined event;

an event processor that, in a case in which the event is detected by said detector, performs a process of displaying a message having contents represented by the message information stored in said personal information storage unit and performs a process of transmitting to the opponent participant display request requesting that the message be displayed; and

a display request processor that, upon receiving from the opponent participant a display request of the opponent participant, displays a message having contents represented by the message information of the opponent participant stored in said opponent information storage unit, and

(2) a plurality of terminal devices, each of said terminal devices having;

an input device operated by each of the players who uses each of said terminal devices,

a display device, and a processor for causing an edit screen for editing the message information transmitted by the second transmitter of the game server device, wherein the processor transmits the identification information unique to the one of the players to the game server device, receives the message information of the one of the players from the game server device, and displays the edit screen of the message information, thereby prompting the one of the players to edit the message information by operating the input device, and replies to the game server device with an edit result as update information,

the game server device comprising;

(a) a storage unit that stores message information of a player and identification information unique to the player in association with each other;

(b) a first transmitter that transmits, upon receiving a message request from one of said plurality of game devices, message information to the one said plurality of game devices which, through communication with one another, enable players to play a game with multiple players as participants of the game with multiple players, game devices used by the players in playing the game among said plurality of game devices being associated with one another as the participants of the game and the message information representing contents of a message of each of the players;

(c) a second transmitter that, upon receiving identification information from one of said terminal devices, transmits message information to the one of said terminal devices after reading from the storage unit message information corresponding to identification information specified by the one of said terminal devices that is operated by one of the players, and

(d) an updater that, upon receiving the update information transmitted from the one of said terminal devices, updates the message information stored in the storage unit with the update information.